Quantum Highway
by BlackWindHowls
Summary: Tiring of leaping, Sam wants out. So, after the success of his current leap, he decides to go home. But can help from an unexpected source change his mind? Originally conceived as part one of a trilogy.
1. I Want To Go Home

-1Sam and Al watched as the teenaged boy and girl walked off hand in hand.

"Way to go Sam," Al said as he read what Ziggy brought up. "Jack and Jane there get married a few years from now. Today, they have four children, one of whom is serving in the Peace Corp."

This leap, his mission had been to bring the two friends together as more. In the original history, they didn't and the girl ended up in an abusive relationship where her husband eventually murdered her in a fit of jealous rage.

Sam sighed. "That's great, Al," he said. But, there was something in his voice Al couldn't quite place. Something he had never heard in Sam's voice.

"Is something wrong?" Al asked.

"Not really," Sam said. "I'm glad we brought them together and saved Jane. But, I don't know. I'm getting tired of leaping around."

"You're getting tired? What?" Al said as he took a puff of his cigar. "Since when did you start getting tired of helping people?"

"It's not that," Sam said. "I'm tired of always helping other people and no one knows the difference. What does it all amount to? We help people. Because of us, people get jobs they didn't originally get, people have gotten together because of us, and all that. But, really what does it amount to?"

"Sam…" Al said in a worried tone. Al then realized what was off in Sam's voice.

He sounded depressed.

"Al, it's all ultimately pointless when you think about," Sam said looking at his long-time friend. "Tomorrow, what's it going to matter? Are we really making any difference in the world?"

"You are," Al said. "Without you, a lot of lives would be a lot worse off."

Sam shook his head. "I wish I could make myself believe that again." Sam paused for a minute. "Al, I'm coming home."

Al remained silent. He puffed on his cigar a few times as he stared at his friend.

"Are you sure?" Al asked.

"Yes."

He hated seeing his friend this depressed. Especially when it made his friend decide to stop doing what he loved most--helping others. But, he knew there was nothing he could say to change Sam's mind. Al looked down and pressed a button on Ziggy and the Imaging Chamber's door opened.

"I'll see you at the Project," Al said in a low tone.

Sam watched as Al stepped through and the chamber's door closed. He looked back and out the window and saw Jack and Jane kissing. Sam felt himself leap.

So ended his last leap through time.


	2. The Highway

_A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had actually written chapter two a few days ago and totally forgot to upload it until now. As you can tell by this chapter, my trilogy will actually have cross-overs involved. Parts 2 and 3 will be different cross-overs, but in the same timeline. And then you'll see what I meant by 'saving the future'._

A_pril 5, 1986_

Just like any other leap, Sam felt the disorientation sweep over him and pass. He opened his eyes expecting to see the Project's base, Al, Goochie, and everyone else. Instead, he stood surprised in front of a convenient store's counter with a couple of bags of food.

"Thank you, come again," the clerk said as she put the money in the register.

"Thanks," Sam replied as he picked up his food. He noticed a mirror on the counter. Looking at his reflection, he saw a bearded face with an Oakland baseball cap on staring back. Sam rubbed his chin and walked out.

Sam looked around. This definitely was not the Project. How could this had happened? He had wanted to go home, not here. Where ever 'here' was. Something must have gone wrong. Either way, he figured Al would show up any second and decided to wait.

He sighed. All he had wanted was to go home. His leaping days were finished. History would have to fend for itself now.

Then why wasn't he going home?

"No it's not the Project, Dr. Beckett," a voice from behind him said. "Or 1999."

Sam's mouth went dry. Someone had just called him by his real name _and_ knew that he had intended to be in 1999 right now. Sam turned around and saw a man standing before him that appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties.

"Um…excuse me?" Sam asked.

"I said you're not in 1999, Dr. Beckett," the man replied. A worried expression passed across Sam's face and the man smiled. "Yes, I know exactly who you are Sam. I've been waiting for you to get here."

Sam looked even more puzzled. "Waiting for me? How could you? There's no possible way you could know I would be here or leap into this body. I'm not even supposed to be here!"

"Everything happens for a reason," the man replied. "You leaping into my friend is no different. My name is Jonathon."

"J-Jonathon, how do you know who I am and that I'd be here?"

"The Boss told me all about you," Jonathon replied. "He said you needed to be reminded why you've been leaping through time helping people and that He would be sending you my way."

"The Boss?" Sam asked.

"God," the man replied.

"God's your boss?" Sam asked.

"Yes. You see, I'm an angel," Jonathon said. Then he laughed. "Well, almost, anyway.I'm sure you're wondering. You've leaped into a friend of mine named Mark Gordon and it's April 5, 1986. You're in Modesto, California."

"Oh boy," Sam said rubbing his eyes.

He wished Al would hurry up. This leap was already getting to be too much.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Sorry for the long delay._

Sam didn't know what to say. He had leapt into many weird situations since the beginning. Some were embarrassing and others nearly gave him a heart attack when the disorientation passed. But now here was a man who somehow knew his full name, that he intended to be in 1999, that he worked on the Project, and had been traveling in time.

Now the man was telling him that he was an angel and worked for God.

Sam rubbed the back of his neck as he bit his lip. What could he say to something like that?

"You're an…angel?" Sam asked.

"Not exactly," Jonathon replied. "I'm on probation right now. I haven't been made a full angel quite yet."

"And you say God is your boss and that the reason I'm here is because I need reminding?"

"Yes," Jonathon said.

"Okay Mr. Angel," Sam said. Both his tone and expression were that of obvious disbelief. "You tell your 'boss' that I'm not interested anymore. I'm ready to go home! Sorry to disappoint you, but I'll be leaping home any second now."

Without another word, Sam walked away. He had been shot at, nearly electrocuted, nearly drowned, beaten up, handcuffed, and countless other things. Now he was finished. His life was his own now.

As he walked off, Jonathon began to go after him. But he suddenly stopped and looked up in the air as if hearing something.

"Are you sure?" Jonathon asked. He paused as he looked back at the walking off Sam. "Sorry. Of course you are."

Sam continued on waiting to leap. All he wanted was to go home. Was that too much to ask? And right on schedule, Sam heard the Imaging Chamber's door open and close.

"There you are," Al said. "I take it you decided not to come home."

"Actually, I didn't," Sam replied. "I don't know what happened, but I somehow ended up here instead of the Project."

"So why haven't you leaped yet?"

"I don't know, Al," Sam said. "I just haven't. I've tried, but I just haven't yet."

"Well you should meet the guy you've leapt into," Al said. "He's at the Project saying he's supposed to be on vacation now. He keeps asking are we probationary angels."

Sam's ears perked up. "Probationary angels? Al, tell me. Where am I?"

"Hold on," Al replied. He pressed a few buttons on Ziggy and read what came up. "Ziggy said you're in Modesto, California and you've leapt into--"

"A man named Mark Gordon and it's April 5, 1986 isn't it?"

"Exactly," Al replied. "How'd you guess?"

Sam paused for a moment.

"Someone just told me," Sam said. Could the man had been telling the truth? But an angel? Of course he believed in God, but he had never heard of angels coming to the world other than delivering messages.

Whatever the case may be, he had to find out some information from the man. Sam turned around and looked at where the man had been, but he was gone. In fact, he was no where to be seen.

"I'm over here," Jonathon said from behind Sam. Sam jumped and faced where his voice came from. He was standing exactly where Sam had been looking just seconds before.

"How did you do that?" Sam asked.

"As I said, I'm an angel," Jonathon replied. Then he looked directly at Al. "Admiral Calvicci, I'd shake your hand if I could, but we both know holograms can't do that."

"How did he know me and that I'm here?"

"Because he works for God," Sam interrupted staring at Jonathon. Were they actually looking at a real angel? That could be the only answer. "You were telling the truth, weren't you?"

"Of course," Jonathon said. "The Boss isn't a very big fan of lying."

Sam swallowed. "Okay, you said that God sent me here for a reason and that I needed to be reminded on why I've been leaping around. Why?"

"We all have our purpose in life," Jonathon said. "You've gone through time making the world a better place. Without you leaping, the world was and will be a worse place. God just simply isn't ready for you to go home yet."

"So God is going to force me to continue doing this?"

"Of course not," Jonathon said. "He's not going to force you either way. It has to be your choice. He wants to simply show you why you've leapt and to show you all the good you've done. And after that, if you still want to go home, you can do that."

Sam sighed. "Fine. Let's do this so I can go home. So, go ahead and tell me all the good I've done and that without me, how many lives would be worse off."

"Tell you? We'll be doing more than that, my friend," Jonathon said. He grabbed Sam's shoulder and they vanished into mid-air.

Al's cigar dropped from his mouth.


	4. Sam's Good Work

_A/N: Thanks asearcher for pointing out the typo_

Before he could even react, they reappeared elsewhere. Then Sam realized that they were now standing in his sister's and brother-in-law's living room. Suddenly, memories flooded through his Swiss-cheesed memory.

"Jonathon, this is my sister's home," Sam said. "I can remember how my brother-in-law treated her. Why are we here?"

"That's right, and it's 1999. This is our first stop to remind you and show you why things are better because of you leaping. Just watch," Jonathon replied.

"Won't they see us?"

"No, they can't see or hear us," Jonathon said.

He motioned to one of the living room's door and Sam looked at it. About five seconds later, Sam's brother-in-law came almost literally flying into the room and landed on his back. Tom, Sam's older brother he had saved from dying in Vietnam, came through the door.

"If I find out you've been hitting my sister again," Tom yelled at him, "I promise you I'll do a lot worse than this! Just remember I've killed tougher people than you in Vietnam."

Sam smiled. He wasn't much for violence, but he remembered how the man treated his sister and how his sister defended him despite the obvious. He had tried what he could, but never nearing the result Tom did.

"Okay!" the man said. "I won't! Just tell her to come home and I'm sorry!"

Tom let go of him. "Good," he said. Glaring at him, Tom made his way for the front door.

"Congratulations Sam," Jonathon said. "Not only did you save your brother, but you also helped your little sister."

Sam grinned. "I'm glad my sister won't have to deal with that anymore, even if she is going to stay with him. Way to go Tom!"

Jonathon looked at him like he knew something Sam didn't. "Let's move on Sam. We got another stop to make."

"Where now?"

"Al," Jonathon replied. "Two years ago, to be exact." Jonathon grabbed Sam's shoulder and without warning, they faded into an entirely different surrounding.

* * *

Now they stood in another house. The house seemed pretty nice and roomy. As Sam looked around, he saw a few pictures sitting on a nearby table.

"Go take a look Sam," Jonathon said.

Sam nodded and walked over to the table. He picked up one of the pictures and looked at it. In the picture, Sam saw Al, his wife, and children.

"After you told Beth that he was still alive," Jonathon said, "she never remarried. When your friend was freed and returned to America, they lived happily together. The girls in the photo are his daughters."

Sam felt a sense of happiness he hadn't felt in some time pass through him. After all the years of womanizing, Al had returned to the one woman he said he had ever really loved after the war never having to go through four other divorces.

Suddenly, Al walked into the room with his youngest daughter sitting on his shoulders.

"Faster Daddy! Faster!" she said laughing.

Al, making airplane noises, ran through the room as his daughter continued laughing.

"She adores her father, you know," Jonathon said smiling. "She can't fall asleep at night unless he tucks her in and scares away all the monsters under bed."

Sam laughed. He was glad his long-time friend was finally happy.

"The most important people in your life are more happy than they ever were before you stepped into the Accelerator," Jonathon said. He paused for a moment. "Just too bad it can't stay that way."

Sam suddenly frowned and looked at Jonathon. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember?" Jonathon asked. "You wished you had never stepped into the Accelerator. The Boss gave you your wish and history has returned to its original path."

"But…"

"Come on, the job's not finished yet," Jonathon said. "Now it's time for you see what their lives are like without you."

They disappeared yet again.


	5. Sadder History

_A/N: I'm sorry if these last few chapters seemed rushed. I just can't seem to help but feel like they are, even though I tried my best not make them seem that way. So if they are, sorry. Either way, on to part 2!_

Without warning, Sam and Jonathon reappeared inside a home. Looking around, Sam found it all very familiar.

"Hey, this is my house!" Sam suddenly exclaimed. "I mean my parents' home." He grinned as looked around the kitchen. "I haven't seen this place in years!"

"I know," Jonathon replied. "Welcome to 2002. Well, the 2002 that exists without your leaping."

Then Sam realized that there was a noise coming from the living room.

"Say, who is that crying?" he asked as soon as he realized what the noise was.

"Let's go find out." Jonathon said and the two walked to the living room, the source of the crying.

As they entered, Jonathon simply stood back and watched as Sam walked forward into the room. Sam tried holding on to the doorway as he saw his mother sitting in a chair crying.

"My mother's crying!" Sam blurted the obvious. "I've…I've never seen her cry like this before. Not even when I was a kid." He paused. "The only time I've ever seen her cry like this is when Tom was killed in Vietnam."

"She's crying because she's all alone," Jonathon said. He stood next to Sam. "You hardly ever have the time to visit her with your work keeping you so busy."

"What about my sister?"

Jonathon bit his lip. "Your brother-in-law has banned her from ever speaking to her mother again. The two haven't seen each other in a year."

"But Tom beat him up!" Sam said. "We just saw it!"

"Your brother died in Vietnam."

"I know, but I saved him!" Sam replied.

"You did," Jonathon explained. "But you never leaped, remember? It's really too bad. She was so happy with her children. Now all she does is sit in the chair all day thinking about when you three were children."

Sam felt his heart sink. He had no idea what to say. Yes, he wished he hadn't leapt. But the thought didn't even cross his mind that his brother would be dead or that his mother be like this. It killed him seeing his mother like this.

"Come on," Jonathon said in a sad tone. "There's something else you need to see."

Jonathon put his hand on his shoulder. Much like what seemed to have happened a lot on this leap, Sam found himself in a different place without even realizing it.

This time, a cemetery.

"What are we doing here?" Sam asked.

Jonathon remained silent and simply pointed. Sam turned and saw a casket being lowered into the otherwise snow-covered ground with the Sam that had never leapt standing over the grave.

Walking over, Sam saw the different version of himself crying. Looking at the tombstone, shock passed over him.

On the tombstone, the name read "Albert Calvicci".

"Yes, it's your friend in there," Jonathon said. Sam hadn't even noticed Jonathon behind him until then. "He killed himself just a few days ago."

"What?" Sam nearly screamed. "Al would never do that!"

"Helping you gave his life purpose," Jonathon said. "Then you gave him his wife back who then gave him three daughters that he adored. If you had leapt." By now, tears poured from Sam's eyes. "His constant womanizing was the only thing that kept him from thinking of losing the one woman that meant his life to him. But even then, the pain became too much."

"Jonathon," Sam said through his tears, "I didn't realize any of this would happen! I want to help! I want to take back what I said! I remember now why I invented the Accelerator."

"What are you saying?"

"I want to go on leaping!" Sam said not taking his eyes off the tombstone.

Jonathon smiled slightly. "That's all the Boss wanted to hear."

Without warning, the two stood in the parking lot of the convenient store Sam arrived at before meeting Jonathon.

"It's okay Sam," Jonathon said. "History has returned to normal again."

"You mean none of that will happen?"

"Not one bit of it."

Sam couldn't help but to smile. Seeing what he had been shown, his sense of helping people had been renewed and no longer wanted to go home. Not now anyway.

"Jonathon, I'm glad I met you," Sam said. "I'm glad you showed me why I've been leaping."

"Don't thank me. Thank the Boss," Jonathon said. He looked up for a moment and then back at Sam. "The Boss said it's time for you to go. He said that you still have two very important jobs to take care that will save the future."

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Sam said. "Why are they so import--"

Without warning, Sam leapt before he finished.

* * *

Sam feltthe disorientation sweep over him as usual. As it passed, he looked around the room he stood in.

He apparently was in some sort of high-tech office. Around him, people in suits stared at him intently as his hand hovered above a computer.

"Sir, is something wrong?" one of the people asked him.

"Um…" Sam stuttered. "No, nothing's wrong." Hopefully. He had no clue what there was that something could be wrong with.

That's when he noticed what HE was dressed in--a military uniform.

"Oh boy," he whispered.


End file.
